During Veterans Day this month, the
country honored and commemorated those who have served in the U.S.
armed forces. But year-round at National University we are always
looking for ways to help our veterans, particularly those with
health issues.

One of our faculty members, Jerrilyn Cambron, DC, MPH, Ph.D.,
LMT, participated in a panel about massage in the military during
the American Massage Therapy
Association (AMTA) Convention last month. The panel highlighted
the benefits massage therapy can provide to veterans.

A big health concern for many of our veterans is post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD). Triggered by experiencing or seeing a
terrifying event, the health condition can last months or years and
result in a variety of symptoms including flashbacks, emotional
numbing and anxiety.

According to Dr. Cambron, there are a few research studies
indicating that massage therapy may be beneficial for the treatment
of PTSD, particularly in veterans. Other studies demonstrating
positive benefits have focused on massage therapy for anxiety and
for pain, both of which are associated with PTSD, she said.

During the panel, Dr. Cambron and other experts also discussed
that veterans may have different needs than other massage clients,
especially those with PTSD. For example, they may have an aversion
to touch on certain parts of their body or they may be
uncomfortable lying in a dark room with their face down. Therefore,
it's important for massage therapists to discuss certain needs with
their clients who are veterans.

If you're looking for a career in which you can help our
veterans, massage therapy may be the perfect choice. To learn more
about the Massage Therapy Program offered at NUHS visit our
website: www.nuhs.edu/admissions/massage-therapy.

To learn more about the free and discounted services provided to
veterans at our Veterans Clinic in the Whole Health Center in
Lombard call 630-629-9664 to schedule your appointment.

As part of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA)
20th annual National Massage Therapy Awareness week Oct.
23 - Oct. 29, massage therapists across the country are
highlighting the benefits of massage therapy and encouraging others
to incorporate massage into their personal wellness plans.

NUHS Massage Therapy faculty are currently celebrating at the AMTA 2016 National Convention in nearby
Milwaukee. On Thursday, Jerrilyn Cambron, DC, LMT, MPH, Ph.D.,
chair of the College of Allied Health Sciences and Distance
Education, will be presenting
new research on massage therapy and pain. She will also be
moderating a panel on massage therapy in the military.

On Friday, NUHS MT students will attend Student Day where they
will be able to connect with potential employers along with
successful practitioners who will share their insights on
networking, marketing and running a business.

In my
previous blog post, I highlighted that the profession is
expected to grow significantly in less than 10 years. According to
the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for massage therapists
is projected to grow 23 percent by 2022, higher than the overall
projected job growth of 10.8 percent.

With over 39.1 million people reported to have received a
massage from July 2014 to July 2015, students are finding that the
massage therapy profession can be a very successful one.

If you're interested in learning more about a career in massage
therapy, explore the National University of Health Science's
massage therapy program at an evening information night from 6 p.m.
to 8 p.m. on November 16 at the Lombard campus.

At the event you can learn about the curriculum, explore career
opportunities and talk with financial aid representatives. You can
even talk with a graduate of the massage therapy program and get
their perspective that a lot of prospective students find
helpful.

The health care support field is predicted to be
one of the fastest-growing job segments in the next 10 years
(Bureau of Labor Statstics). U.S. News reviewed the
nation's most in-demand occupations in their annual Best Jobs
report and ranked massage
therapist as #8 in the "Best Health Care Support Jobs" category
for 2016.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects massage therapist
employment growth of 23% between 2016 and 2024--higher
than overall projected job growth of 10.8%.

In addition to job growth, the field of massage therapy offers
many avenues to shape your career--from working at spas or fitness
centers to working at hospitals, for sports teams, at integrative
medical clinics, and more.

If you've been considering Massage Therapy as a
career, there's never been a better time to take the step
forward!

A perfect opportunity for you to gain insight and learn about
National University's convenient, one-year, evening certification
program is through a Massage Therapy visit event.

Have you ever started a project but changed your mind or lost
interest half way through? That's okay if you are knitting a scarf
or cleaning out a closet. But if you're starting a massage therapy
career education program, you want to be sure this is the right
school and right career for you. With today's tuition costs, losing
interest before you even graduate can be expensive.

That's why, even though you may be convinced massage therapy is
a career you will love, it's good to be completely sure before you
start. How can you be sure? Here are three important steps:

First: Get a Professional Massage

In fact, if you can afford it, get
several massages over time with a variety of different massage
therapists. Take time to talk with your massage therapists and see
how they like their career. Look around at their work environment.
Imagine yourself in their shoes, doing what they do, with lots of
different people as your clients.

Second: Visit a Massage School

Don't just shop for a massage school
online. It's best to actually visit the campus and see the
facility. What looks good online might not be what you expected
when you show up for your first class. Actually see the classrooms,
the practice area, meet the faculty, and see where you'll
be massaging clients in your internship phase.

Third: Choose a Program with a Trial or Intro
Course

See if you can test out the program
to see if it's for you. National University requires all students
to complete a one-week Introduction to Massage Therapy course
during the very first week of the first trimester. In the intro
course, you'll learn the basics of massage therapy through lecture,
demonstration and hands-on instruction. You must pass the course as
a requirement to continue in the program. This helps you determine
whether massage therapy is the right career choice for you.

National University is still offering its "Summer Soak Up"
tuition incentive for anyone who visits campus before August 31st.
By just visiting, you can earn $500 tuition credit for your first
trimester. Call 1-800-826- 6285 or email admissions@nuhs.edu for more
details or to plan your visit.

Massage Therapy is getting lots of attention as an
effective tool for pain. Pain is a major public health
concern that affects approximately 100 million Americans. Chronic
pain accounts for 80% of physician visits and almost $600 billion
in annual health care expenditures and lost productivity.

A leading scientific journal, Pain Medicine, recently
published a
series of research articles on the effectiveness of massage in
reducing pain for a variety of conditions, including cancer and
post-surgical pain.

Dr. Jerrilyn
Cambron, a professor at National University of Health Sciences
who co-authored the journal series, says: "These articles will go a
long way in promoting massage therapy as an evidence-based approach
to pain management."

National University has always considered massage therapy an
important part of a new trend in health care called "integrative
medicine." If you are thinking about starting a career in massage
therapy, it's good to be familiar with this word. Why?

Integrative medicine is where health professionals from
different fields work together, joining their unique skills in a
group effort as they work to get patients better. So articles such
as these that show how massage helps pain will also help show MDs,
hospitals and pain management clinics when to call on massage
therapists to assist them in treating pain patients.

Why not visit National University to learn more on how you can
study massage therapy on
a campus devoted to integrative medicine, with faculty like Dr.
Jerrilyn Cambron and other leaders in the profession? If you visit
now through August 31st, you'll be eligible for a
tuition incentive of $500 during National University's "Summer Soak Up" program.